Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)

I wish to make a number of points in respect of the climate change aspect of this debate. I am my party's spokesperson on the environment and, as such, this matter comes within my remit.

Those in government, particularly the Green Party Ministers, need to realise that one of the ways to begin to tackle climate change would be to bring about a greater level of income equality in this country. A great deal of research has been carried out which indicates that societies in which there is greater income equality perform better with regard to tackling climate change, conserving energy, etc. I am sure the Minister, Eamon Deputy Ryan, is aware of a book on this subject, The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better, which was published last year. Its authors considered studies carried out over a period of 30 years in various developed countries and also examined the position in 30 American states. They compared countries on the basis of their levels of income equality or inequality and discovered that countries which have greater income equality and in which there is a smaller gap between those on high and low incomes do better across a range of indicators, including life expectancy and mental health. The authors also discovered that such countries do better in the context of their carbon footprints, in their performance on recycling and in various other areas.

In the context of the Green Party's policy on energy conservation and climate change, the central premise of the book to which I refer must be taken on board. Since they entered Government, the Green Party Ministers have done little with regard to tackling the issue of income inequality. It just does not seem to appear on their radar. They have agreed to the introduction of budgets which will widen the level of income inequality as the years progress. In budget 2010, for example, social welfare rates were cut. At one point the Minister spoke out against labour taxes, which are basically income taxes. He was echoing the line the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney, has espoused for many years. The latter may have referred to them as taxes on work but her remarks on the subject certainly mirror those put forward by Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Ryan, who is quoted as stating that there is something wrong with labour taxes.

If those in government want to ensure that the tax system is fair, then they must ensure that taxes are based on people's incomes. That is why income taxes should form the core of the Government's taxation policy. Those opposite should do everything in their power to ensure that there are not significant gaps between people's incomes. That is the message put forward in The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better. This book states, in the context of climate change, energy conservation, recycling and so forth, that the members of societies where there is greater income equality and where large gaps do not exist between rich and poor are not as compelled to consume as much. People's status in such societies is not based on what goods or luxury items, such as jeeps or whatever, they own. In other words, they are much less focused on attaining status in society by means of consuming goods.

The authors of the book to which I refer also state that these societies do better in terms of their performance in respect of climate change and other environmental protection indicators because there is more solidarity among their citizens. People who live in such societies are more likely to work together on issues in their communities. An obvious example of where societies should work together is in respect of climate change and energy conservation.

I refer to this matter in the hope that the Minister, who represents the Green Party, will take on board the points I have made. Perhaps more could be done in future budgets to reduce the gap between rich and poor in our society.

There is another aspect of this matter to which I wish to refer, but I accept that it is probably more relevant to the remit of the Department of Education and Science. A great deal could be done to conserve energy and reduce carbon emissions by making school buildings more energy efficient. This is a matter over which the Government exercises a high level of control and in respect of which it can show an example and take the lead. As Members are aware, many school buildings are in a sad state of repair and have leaky roofs, poor quality windows and are not properly insulated. Large numbers of children are taught in prefabs, a large number of which are old and are not energy efficient.

If the Government were to front load investment in school buildings in order to ensure that they are properly insulated and that they are energy efficient, it would save money in the long term because the amount of money spent on heating such buildings would be reduced. In addition, carbon emissions would decrease and we would go some way towards addressing the issues that will arise in the context of peak oil. If the Government were to proceed as I have outlined, it would be good for the economy because people who previously worked in the construction industry and who are currently unemployed could obtain work on such school building projects. The Labour Party has been proposing a move of this nature for some years.

If the Government and the Green Party are serious about the green economy, they should proceed in the way I am suggesting. It would make sense to involve those who previously worked in the construction industry in erecting badly needed school buildings that are more energy efficient. This would provide an economic stimulus, while also being good for the environment.

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